Identification cards (e.g., drivers licenses, badges, etc.) are generally formed from rigid or semi-rigid card substrates (e.g., plastic, paper, etc.). Such identification cards generally include printed information (i.e., an image) on the substrate, such as a photo, identification numbers, identification information, account numbers, and other information. It is desirable to protect the surface of the identification card containing the printed information from abrasion, chemicals and other environmental conditions that may degrade the card surface and the printed information.
One method of protecting the card surface is to apply a very thin layer of edge-to-edge protection to the card surface using a thermal printhead and a panelized thermal print ribbon, which includes a clear overlay panel. Another method involves transferring a “thin film laminate” from a roll onto the surface of the substrate using a roll laminator. Unfortunately, these methods provide only minimal protection against abrasion and are generally not considered acceptable for long lived identification card applications.
Another method of protecting the card surface involves the application of a 0.5-1.0 mil polymeric patch laminate, typically formed of a polyester material, from a roll onto the card surface. In order to prevent the patch laminate from overhanging the edges of the card surface due to registration issues, the patch laminate is formed smaller than the card surface to which it is to be applied. As a result, the patch laminate cannot provide full edge-to-edge protection of the card surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,037,013, which is assigned to Fargo Electronics, Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minn., describes the transfer of a nominal 1.0 mil inkjet receptive coating from a liner onto a surface of a substrate using heat and pressure. The inkjet receptive coating that is in contact with the surface of the substrate is transferred to surface while the remainder of the coating remains attached to the liner. While the transferred inkjet coating covers the substrate from edge-to-edge and provides excellent abrasion resistance when dry, it is still susceptible to water born contaminants and shows less than adequate wet scratch resistance.
Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.